After my mother-in-law found two children at the bottom of an abandoned well, she brought them to my doorstep and asked me to raise them—and I loved them as my own.

Alyona, my dear, please help me…” Maria Nikitichna’s voice trembled as she stepped inside, clutching two small bundles tightly to her chest.

Alyona froze at the sink, a dish still in her hand, half-washed, water dripping from the edges.

Outside, rain poured relentlessly, soaking the earth. Their dog stood by the door, shivering and whining. All morning, Alyona had felt an unsettling heaviness in the air—like something had shifted, making everything feel strange and distant.

“What happened?” she asked, moving closer to her mother-in-law. Maria Nikitichna’s face was streaked with tears.

“Here,” Maria Nikitichna said softly, unwrapping one of the blankets. Inside was a tiny, wrinkled face, red from cold, letting out a faint, pitiful cry. “There are two. A boy and a girl. I found them in the old well…”

Alyona felt her legs weaken. With trembling hands, she gently took the child from her mother-in-law’s arms. The baby was cold, covered in dirt, but still breathing. His large, dark eyes locked with hers, and she felt a jolt in her chest, as if he could see straight through her.